Method of and apparatus for making sausages



G. E. MASON March 4, v1941.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS-FOR MAKING SAUSAGES Filed Feb. 8, 1939 5Sheets-Sheet 1 mmv G. E. MASON March 4, 1941.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SAUSAGES Filed Feb. 8, 1939 5Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.

March 4, 1941. Q E MAS@ 2,2343354 METHOD OF AND APFARATUS FOR MAKINGSAUSAGES Filed Feb. 8, 1939 5 sheets-snaai s March 4, 1941. Y G. E.MASQN 2,234,054

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FORMAKING SAUSAGES Filed Feb. 8. 1939 5Sheets-Sheet 4 FI G15.

` March 4, 1941. G. E. MASON 2,234,05

METHOD op AND APPARATUS ron MAKING sAUsAeBs Filed Feb. 8. 19:59 ssheets-sheet s Patented Mar. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES A PATENT OFFICE mamonor AND APPARATUS Fon MAKING sAUsAGEs Y ;A

Glenn E. Mason, St. Louis County, Mo.

Application February 8, 1939, Serial No. 255,227

17 Claims. (Ci. 17-45) This invention relates to a method oi', andapparatus for, making sausages, and with regard to certain more specificfeatures, to such a method and apparatus for maldng skinless sausages.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision oia method of. and apo product; and the provision of apparatus of the`class described in which the most expensive part ci' the molding casingmay be used repeatedly while the least expensive part is renewable forsanitary purposes. Other objects will be in part obvious and in partpointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the steps and sequence of steps,elements and combinations oi elements, features of construction, andarrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structureshereinafter described and the scope oi the application of which will beindicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of various possibleembodiments of the invention,

Fig. l. is a top plan view o! a illling and supporting unit;

Fig. 2 is a iront elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged iront elevation showing details of a stuillng hornand sewing machine;

Fig. 4 is a righthand elevation oi.' Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlargedvertical cross section taken on line @-8 oi' Fig.3;

Fig. I is a fragmentary, enlarged, horizontal cross section takensubstantially at line 1--1 o! Fig. 2, but showing 'the parts in a.position advanced with respectto their Fig. 2 positions;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken on line i'8 of Fig. 7:

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail` section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 1Q is an emerged plan view oi' a receiving lug used in connectionwith the apparatus shown in FIS. 7i

Fig. 11 is an elevation o! Fig. 10, viewed from the bottom oi Fig. l0;

of Fig. 18;

Fig 12 is a plan View oi' a delivery lug shownv in Fig. '7;

Fig. 13 is an elevation of Fig. 12, viewed from the bottom of Fig. 12,showing in dotted lines 4a displaced position of parts;4

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line iI-id ofFig'.l 13;

Fig. 15 is a plan view-of segmentation'apparatus, used subsequently tothe apparatus shown in Figs. 1-14;

Fig-'16 is a central longitudinal online IS-IG oi' Fig. 15; n

Fig. 1'? is a vertical section taken on line l'I--I'I 01' Fig. 16; 1 15Fig. 18 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical 10 'section taken `sectiontaken on line I8-I8 of Fig. 1'7;

Fig. 19 is a vertical section taken on line I9.Il

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary perspective view a segmentation plate; and,

Fig. 21 is 4a plan view illustrating a unal step in removing processedsausages from their coxnmon skin.

Similar reference characters indicate correg5 spending parts throughoutthe several views of the drawings.

The method yand apparatusl herein described is adapted to making eitherskinless sausages or those with skins. For purposes of description, o

'the apparatus will be shown in' connection with the manufacture ofskinless sausages, since the n'ianuiacture oi' sausages with skinssimply involves fewer steps, as will be noted at the proper point inthis description. 3 Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and Z,there are-shown at numerals I and 3 a pair of containers for groundsausage meat. The meat is in its usual consistency and of the propermaterials for the particular type of sausage to 40 `be made.

is being emptied, the other may be re-iiiled so ,50

that a continuous flow of sausage vmeat may be delivered to the inlet I5and out of the stuillng or forming horn II. n

At I9 is shown a rack for supporting spools ofy strip paper 2i, andstrip cloth 23. The paper 2| 55 may be of the smooth waxed variety, oneo its @functions being to 11o temporarily adjacent the sausage meat andwhich is adapted to be stripped trom said meat after the formingoperations have been completed. The paper provides a tine nish on thesausage meat which is later to appear as a skinless sausage. It willthus be seen that for the waxed paper may be substituted laundering,such as canvas, linen, cotton or the As shown, the paper strip 2| andthe cloth strip 22 are withdrawn from spools and brought adiacent'oneanother by means of rollers 2l, from whence-the materials 2l andk 23pass to a tube former indicated generically at numeral 21,.' This Yformer 21 is attached to the horn I1 at 2l (see Fig. 8). From thispoint, it is formed as an inner clockwise spiral loop Il which extends 1around to an edge lip 23.- Within this spiral loop 3i is ldrawn andformed the paper 2i having an edge 43 'at the lip 33.' l l, Y

Attached to the spiral loop 3i at' 3i is a second clockwise and outerspiral loop 31 which in/cludes therein a channel section!! and a lip 32:'Ihe section II is adjacent the lip 23. Within this spiral loop 3,1 isvcarried the cloth 23 having one edge Il in the channel section 39 andanother edge 4i between lips 23 and 28. Y y

Both edges 4i of the cloth 23 emerge from the former 21 adjacent oneanother, as indicated, for the purpose oi being sewed together at a seamli by means of a thread 52.-. One edge of the paper 2i also emerges fromthey former sand- `iviched and sewn in between the edges Il oi the cloth2l, also by thread 52. However, the other edge l! 'oi the paper 2iremains iree oi the Asubsequent sewing operation and exists asy a freeina free edge 46 which overlaps the seam 5i to provide `asmoothwaxed-paper interior i'or the resulting casing. This casing slipsof! the horn i1 at the point indicated at B8 (Fig. 3),.where the sausage:meatY is injected to till the continuously formedvcasing.

Thesewed, iilled casing then proceeds to a moving belt llwhereon it issupported Lindley'v means of which'it is drawn through the sewingmachine and carried out to a loop such as indicated at 51 in Fig. 2.V Arst position of this loop l1 is shown in dotted lines at A: a secondposition-insoliti lines at B; and a thirdposition in Y dotted lined atC.

'rho next 'stop isto move uns ioopj t1 through the successive positionsA, B and C to hang the continuous lengthr of stuied casing in askeinupon a travelling rack. indicated'gen'erally at A hoping cnam u issupported upon sloping when the chain 6| is drlvemthe rear reach 65moves up, and the front reach'81 moves down. The chain 0I carries asingle lug 89 which is made as illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13. This lugis rotatable on a pin 1i which is carried on plates 5 12 and 1I of thechain Si. A spring 11 which is of the combination compression andtorsional type pushes the lug Il downwardly and tends to retain it in acentered position normal to the chain,

f as indicated in Fig. 12. 0n the other hand, the lug 10 -69 can movefrom the solid line position to the dotted line position shown in Fig.13, against the compression o! the spring 11. The upper partA of theplate v1l and the lower part of the lug 68 are provided with dogs 18 and8|, respectively. The 15 dog 2| and the dog 1S each occupy about an 180arc, shown in Fig. 14. From the above, it will be seen that normally thelug $9 is pressed down by the ,spring 11 so that the dogs 8l and 19 areadjacent to hold the pin rigidly normally to the 20 skein during theupper travel upon the rear reach Il. f The rear reach 65 of the chainlies in an angle iron 22 for support, and at the upper end of this angleiron I2 is formed a wedgeshaped cam 85, 25 upon whichthe lug t8 ridesuponits upwardv travel in the reach 05. l

The purpose 0i' the cam 35 is to raise the lug 89 to its dotted line-position (Fig. 13) Vas the lug comes up tothe top of its travelupon'the 30 reach l! (Fig. 9), so that the lug 8l is no longer rigidlylocated in a normal position with respect to the chain, but becomespositioned so that i!v itmets al resistance it will swing back from anormal position to a sloping positionfsuch as show n in 35.

Fig'.n 7. The resistance which brings about this' slopingA position is ayportion ofthe skein Vof sausage which has previously .been hung Vuponthe movable rack ll. j l

After the lug moves from the cam 85, it 40 springs out again intoitsnormal position at right angles to thev chain and again becomesrigidly connected thereto. In'this' condition it travels thedescendingreach G1 and picks up the loop 51 in about the condition at A Vin Fig.2. The loop is 45 l then Vmoved through the position B and VupY throughthe dotted line position C, also as indicated insaid Fig. il.Y

In order toreceive the loop 5l' from the lug` S9, the travelling rack 5dis provided as follows: 5o It consists of sprockets di 'carrying ahorizontal chain 89 from which extend horizontal supporting lugs 9i (seeFigs. 10 and lll. These lugs are pivoted at $3 to special links S5. Theyare held in radial position by means of stops 91 but may 55 swing intoangular positions against the reactions of springs 99.

The operation of transferring the loop 51 :from support upon theupwardly travelling lugs 89,' to supportV upon the horizontallytravelling lugs 9i '60 .or the'moving rack 59 is as follows:

Assuming'that the loop 51 is in the upper position'C (Fig. 2), the lug89 in progressing further upward causes the depending part ofthe loop 51to advance ahead of the adjacent lug 9i `on the 65 moving rack 59. LugSi gives way under the for- 'wardmotion of said depending part (marked Ds0 rides up upon the cam 8B and thus becomes 70` unlocked, and inrswinging out around the upper sprodket .ii-.3.. oli thechein 8.ll..delilectsbackward from behind the portion D and allows the loop todrop upon the lug Il, which then supports said 16 sprockets VQ2;M'itflieplanemofwslopewis such thatgw'ioop for further horiagwntal movement.,iI'l'ie un- 'I5 i loaded lug 69 then travels on down the front reach B1oi the chain 6|, having sprung back into normal rigid position. 'I'hemotion oi' the lugs 89 and 9| is so timed that one complete movement ofthe lug 89 around its circuit corresponds to an advance of a given lug9| the distance between adjacent lugs 9|.

From the above. itvwill be seen that the string of sausage is looped onthe continuously travelling supporting hanger 59 to form a looped skein.The number of loops may be repeated until the ilrst one in a skeinappears at about point E (Fig. 1) The skein needs then to be cut at asuitable point and removed, to be placed in a smoke house for a suitablelength of time.

The next step in the process is to send the skeins through the apparatusillustrated in Figs. 15-20 which divides the sausage meat enclosed inthe tubular casings into segments or individual sausages. From thesmoking racks the skeins are placed on a corrugated receiving board |03which extends into a processing vat |00, the corrugations of thereceiving board |03 being to guide the skeins into the processing vat|00. This vat carries a charge of hot processing water |01 at atemperature of the order of F. or so. Fresh water enters at an opening|2| and water leaves at an overflow |23, the water being heated by steamjets |20.

Within the vat |00 is mounted a pair of lower chains |09 on lowersprockets |I| and a pair oi' upper chains ||3 on upper sprockets H5. Theadjacent reaches I1 of the chains move in the same direction, that is,from the board |03 toward a' conveyor belt ||l at the rear oi the vat|00. The elevation of the reaches ||1 is such as to maintain themimmersed in'the water |01.

The chains |09 and ||3 are provided at intervals with special links |21,each pair of which is formed with lugs |29 and a segmenting plate |3I.The segmenting plates |3| extend outward from the respective chains |00and |I3. Each one is carried by a pair of chains. Adjacent plates, asthey come into position next to one another at the reaches ||1, areguided by the opposite lugs |29, so that theplates |3| are iinallylocked closely together in a parallel relationship.

Each segmenting plate |3| is provided with serrations |33 the purpose ofwhich is to provide tapered receiving notches |35 having circular bottomseats |31. Thus, as any given pair of plates I3| approach one another atpoint G, they provide ilrst a relatively large opening at their spaces|35. These openings gradually become smaller and form a stricture aroundthe sausage, until only small circular openings are left, such as |39.These openings are so small that the meat in the sausage is pinched o,all of the circular passage being filled by the paper and cloth skin,including thel seam 0I. Figs. 1'1-19 illustrate the point.

The pinching of the sausage meat occurs as the lengths |05 areintroduced between the reaches ||1 and occurs at the beginning of thecooking process. The speed oi'advance oi the chains at |1 is such as toconsume about ten minutes in proceeding through the cooking vat.

During this processing, the meat becomes coalesced so that, ii thetemporary skin 2|, 23 is thereafter removed, the resulting segmentedsausages will hold their shapes individually, as will appear. It is tobe understood that the time andteipratlie of processing may be varied tosuit particular products and conditions.

Finally, the segmented, but still wrapped and linked, sausages move outupon the belt H9, the

segmentlng plates I 3| separating at-the rear sprockets to bring thisabout.

The belt ||9 being sloped at one end lifts the sausage clear ot theprocessing water |01. 0n the belt 9 the sausage is treated as shown inFig. 2l. Here the seaming thread I2 of the seam 5| may be unraveled.This is a simple procedure, because the stitching is of the chain stitchtype which unravels when cut at a given point and simply pulled. Aftercooling the sausages may be boxed.

It will be understood that if desired cooling may be carried out beforeunravelling the seam. In this event the string of sausages may be hungupon racks and thus sent to a cooler. They may then be unraveled andboxed directly.

In Fig. 21 is' shown how the strip oi paper 2| comes off separate fromthe strip of cloth 23. The paper is then thrown away, while the strip ofmaterial 23 may be sent to the laundry. rewound on a spool, andremounted upon the bracket I9 for subsequent re-use. The amount ofrepetitious use which may be made of the strip 23 depends upon the wearintroduced by repeated stitchings, but a given strip may be ,used manytimes. On the other hand, each sausage is always molded in fresh waxedpaper.

The use of a strip of waxed paper, with the paper lapping the clothseam, results in a pleasing surface texture throughout the entiresausage surfaces.

Having been cooked, the sausages remain integrated and are soldskinless. The' 'pinching action during segmentation makes pucker marksat the ends oi the sausages so that they appear normal vto customers,although actually skinless.

The outer holding textile material 23 serves to provide tension againstpressure introduced by squeezing in the segmenting apparatus. 'Thistension' against the expansive pressure of the meat serves to provide awell illled-out surface.

At numeral |4| (Figs. 1 and 2) is shown a drivefor the sewing machine 49and at numeral |43 is shown a drive for thebelt 55. TheseA are drivenfrom amotor |45. y

The drive for the chains 6| and 99 is shown at |41 (Figs. ll and 2). Thedrive for the segmenting apparatus of Figs. 15-17 is indicated at |5I.

It may be noted that the process is available for producing sausage inthe skin, as weil as skinless sausages. This can be accomplished byproviding the usual type of edible (or the described inedible) skin inconnection with the filler horn |1 and permitting this to progressthrough the segmenting machine of Figs, 15-20, and then,

v instead oi unwrapping the processed segmented sausages on the belt|.|9, they may be removed without skinning to be sold invconcatenations. They are then reopened at the seam prior to eating, asin the kitchen or on the table, the skin being removed. In such case, anadvantage of the invention lies in the savings brought about by the newsegmenting machine and method.

Another advantage of the invention isv in the i'act that the waxed paper2| leaves some ot its lm of wax upon the surface of the sausage, thusproviding a preservative surface during the period of marketing. Thesurface also has a very desirable smooth appearance.

^ It is clear that `either motor |40 or |41 may be eliminated and itsdriven parts driven from lthe y if desired.

other, or that the motors may be synchronized,

In viewV of the above, it will be seen that the several objectsof theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended Ithat allmatter contained inthe above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limitingsense.

.1. A method .of sausage making comprising continuously forming va skin,moving the skin as itis made, forcingsausage meat into the skin v as .itmoves, arranging the skin with parallel lengths, moving said parallellengths through a processing compartment,V and pinching said lengths atpredetermined distances thereon as they move, -said pinching being to adegree to separate the meat into segments in the skin withy outseparating therskin into segments.

2. A method oi' making sausage skin comprising supplyinga `continuousforming strip and a liner strip, bringing said strips adjacent oneanother and tuizaularly forming them with the liner stripinsi:le,f-.-andv sewing opposite edges ofthe forming stripand one edgeof the liner strip, said liner strip being positioned to form a linerior the forming strip, the 4unsewn edge of the lining strip lapping theseam formed by the sewn por- 1 tions.

3Q A method oi` sausage making comprisingy moving a forming strip and aliner strip from continuous supplies, continuously bringing said stripsadjacent one another with the liner strip insideandforming themandjoining opposite edges oi thev forming strip and one edge of ItheIinerstrip contain the liner strip as a liner. continuously forcingsausage meat into the lined tube thus formed, pinching the lstuffed tubeto segment themeat therein, and settingl thesesmented meat by processingit in the tube.

4. A method of sausage making comprising moving a forming strip and aliner strip from continuous supplies, continuously bringing said'strips.` adjacent one another and tubularly form-f ing them' and joiningthem to form a tube so that the liner strip forms a liner for theforming strip, continuously forcing sausage material into the lined*tube thus formed, pinching theV tube to segment: the meat therein,setting the material by processing it in the tube after segmentation,and removing the "tube from thevsegmentedmaterial.

SIA method ofvsausage making comprising the provision of a `continuoussupply of a textile forming strip and a non-textile liner strip,continuously'bringingsaid strips adjacent one another' and forming themand seeming them to form a lined tubeycontinuously forcing sausagematerial into the tube, pinching the tube to segment the materialtherein, setting the material by processing it inthe tube aftersegmentation, removingthe form from the segmented and processed meat'byre-opening4 the seam, and laundering the-textile form for subsequentuse.

V6. A method of sausage making comprising the provision of acontinuoussupply of a forming material, continuously seaming thematerial to form a tube therefrom, continuously forcing sausage materialinto the' tube' thus formed, pinching the tube to segment the materialtherein, setting the material by processingit in the-'tube aftersegmentation, and removing the tube from the segmented and processedmaterial by re-opening the seam.

7. Sausage making apparatus "comprising a stuiilng horn, a fabric formerassociated with said 5 horn and adapted to receive strip fabric, means.for drawing thei'abric through the former-whereby it is formed into atube around the horn, and sewing means for sewing the opposite edges ofthe strip as it leaves the horn.

8. Sausage making apparatus comprising a stufling horn, a compositefabric former associ'- ated with said horn and adapted to receive aplurality o1 strips, means fordrawing the strips through the formerwhereby one is formed into a tube and the other into a liner for thetube, and means for maintaining the tubular form as it leaves theformer.

' 9,. Sausage making apparatus comprising a stumng horn, a fabric formerassociated with said horn and adpted to receive strip fabric, means fordrawing the fabric through the former Whereby it is formed into a tube,sewing means for sewing the opposite edges of the strip as it leaves theformer, and means for extruding sausage meat from said horn into thetube as the tube is formed.

10. Sausage making apparatus comprising a stuiing horn, means iordrawing a liner strip and a` forming strip I'a'.ijacent one another and30 around kand from the horn, a former -associated with the yhorn toroll said strips into a tubular form, and means for attaching oppositeedges of the forming strip and one edge of the liner strip as they leavethe former, the other edge of the liner strip being Yleft freefto form'a pro,- tection inside of the same thus formed.

1l. Sausage 'making apparatus comprising a stuiilng horn, means fordrawing a liner strip and a forming' strip adjacent one another and 40around and fromthe horn, a former associated with the horn to roll saidstrips Vinto a tubular form, means for attaching opposite edges of theforming strip and one edge of the liner strip as they leave the former,the other edge of the liner stripbelng left free to form a protectionover the seam thus formed, and` means for continuously extruding sausagemeat from said horn into the lined iorm as the form is made. Y 1, M

12. A sausage making method comprising drawingv forth a forming strip,forcing said strip as it is drawn into a tubular shape, chain stitchingthe opposite edges of said forming strip to eiect a tube, forcingsausage material into the sewed form, and subsequently opening the chainstitching and separating the form from the contained material.

13. A sausage making method comprising drawing forth a forming strip,forcing said strip into a tubular shape as it is drawn, sewing by meansoi chain stitching the opposite edges of said forming strip to eect atube, extruding sausage material into the sewed form, and subsequentlyopening thek chain stitching,l and separating the i'orm from thematerial.

14. A sausage skin comprising an outer layer oi exible fabric, an innerlayer of relatively smooth and' flexible material, the outer materialhaving its edges adjacent, one edgel of the inner material and the twoedges of the outer mate- 7o rial being sewn,v the'inner material beinglooped and having its free Yedge covering the seam formed by the sewing.

15. A temporary sausage skin comprising an outer layer, an inner layer,the outer layer .be-75 ing looped with its edges adjacent, one edge ofthe inner material and the two edges of the outer material being sewn,the inner 'material being looped and having its free edge covering theseam formed by the sewing, said sewing being of the chain-stitchvariety.

16. The method of forming sausages comprising forming a relativelystrong fabric casing, forming a relatively smooth exible liner in saidcasing, stufng sausage material into said casing within the liner.segmenting the sausage material while within the casing by pinching thecasing, processing the segmented material within the casing, separatingthe outer casing and its liner from the segmented and processed sausage,separating the liner from the fabric form, and laundering the form andre-using the form for the described purpose,

17. A method of sausage making comprising the provision of a continuoussupply ot ilexible forming material, continuously exing the materiallaterally and placing opposite edges adjacent to form a cylinder,joining said edges to form a tube, continuously delivering sausagematerial into the tube thus formed, pinching the tube to segment thematerial therein to form sausage units, setting the material byprocessing it in the tube after segmentation, and removing 10 the tubefrom a segmented and processed sausage unit without damage to the unitby eiecting reopening of the seam at the unit at any time prior to theeating of said unit.

GLENN E. MASON.

